try—as has been the case in the history of our
own glorious republic—but were compelled to
serve under despotisms which were more exacting
than any right minded individual or any govern
ment could to-day conceive of.
Following this conies the feudal system. This
also belongs to the old order of things, and al
though somewhat of an improvement over the
former state of affairs, yet it was nothing more
than a system of serfdom. The great objection
to it was that it hindered the growth of free na
tions and all free institutions by dividing up coun
tries into innumerable petty lordships and despot
isms. The right of free thought and free action
in matters pertaining to the common weal was
denied the vassals and serfs, by their overbearing
lords and masters, and no matter how unjust and
unrighteous the cause ; no matter what pOverty
and distress it brought upon themselves and their
families they were compelled to uphold the cause
of a tyranical and unjust master.
This leads us up to the more modern institu •
Lion of standing armies, where a nation holds in
readiness for an emergency a body of well trained
and disciplined troops, who, instead of being
compelled to serve for the advancement of a few
selfish lords do so for the upholding of what to
them is dearer than life, their country, and while
uniting themselves thus with the army are paid
for their services.
Lastly we come to the division which includes
the entire able bodied male populatkn of a coun
try as was the cage in our late civil war.
We thus see that there has been a study though,
slow progress, in the line of the organization of
armies from the very lowest state which could pos
sibly exist till now it has reached a standard
which time only can determine whether it can be
improved upon.
The military history of the United States is as
strange as the rise and rapid growth of the nation.
Threatened by no powerful or war-like neighbors
it is not necessary that it should support a large
standing army ; but when an occasion arises
THE FREE LANCE.
which requires the services of a greater number. of
defenders, how eager are the people to respond
to the call.
What greater valor, discipline, or self sacrifice
could possibly be exhibited on any occasion than
was shown by our noble and honored defenders
of liberty in the late war?
No soldier ever fought in a nobler cause than
that for which our beloved fathers sacrificed
themselves. We, to-day, as free American citi
zens should feel proud that we are the sons and
daughters of those, who in their country's emer
gency, so nobly rendered their services. So much
the more should this be the case when we con
consider the great sacrifice it required on their
part.
The tender ties of home aid kindred and all
that man holds most clear that had to be left be.
hind perhaps never to be enjoyed again in this
life. How many sacrificed a life of prosperity
and happiness, enlisting in the service at a time
when their education and mental development
was most important, thus being deprived of this
great advantage and rendering their future life
one of toil and privation, whereas, on the other
hand, it might have been one of comparative
ease and luxury.
The survivors of this great struggle have united
themselves into an organization truly and beauti
fully called The Grand Army of the Republic.
This organization as the name implies is compos
ed entirely of members who served in the war of
the rebellion. The originator of this great scheme
was'General Stephenson, of Illinois, who made
the first draft, of the ritual, in the year 1866. Its
membership has grown steadily, until to-day it
has on its rolls over four hundred thousand
veterans.
The organization is divided into departments,
each state constituting a department, and these
are sub divided into smaller divisions called posts,
each post taking its name from some one of its
members who Oistingnished himself by some act